Prison likely after vicious woman burns man with hot iron

A WOMAN facing a jail sentence for attacking a man with a hot iron was also convicted less than three months ago of a vicious assault on a pensioner.

Kelly Ham, 22, of Tydies, Cwmbran, pleaded guilty at Newport Crown Court yesterday to assault occasioning actual bodily harm by placing a hot iron on the chest of Gareth Tucker on June 1 this year.

And in August she narrowly escaped going to prison after admitting an earlier assault occasioning actual bodily harm on the 65-yearold mother of her then boyfriend.

Defence barrister Stephen Thomas yesterday said Ham – who had been facing a trial on wounding charges before pleading guilty to assault – has been receiving treatment at the Talygarn mental health unit in Griffithstown, and he asked for a psychiatric report to be compiled before sentencing takes place.

Judge Neil Bidder granted Ham bail until she is sentenced on November 21 at Cardiff Crown Court, but he warned her: “Anyone who places a heated iron to another person’s chest so it burns is going to be facing a custodial sentence.”

The earlier assault, for which she received a 12- month community order with a supervision order, took place on November 18 last year, when she attacked her then boyfriend’s mother after being asked to leave the latter’s home.

The victim required treatment at the Royal Gwent Hospital after the attack.

In August the same court was told that Ham knew that what she had done was unlawful, and was remorseful.

The judge at that earlier hearing, Recorder Geraint Walters, was told that Ham had been a victim of domestic abuse and had had drink and drug problems.

He told her that her offence passed the custody threshold, but because of what he had heard from her defence, he was giving her a community order.

If they were jailed in isolation as they should be and had only 4 bare walls and bed to reflect on their crimes im sure the crime rates would plummet, unfortunately prisons are more like butlins.

If they were jailed in isolation as they should be and had only 4 bare walls and bed to reflect on their crimes im sure the crime rates would plummet, unfortunately prisons are more like butlins.cwmbran man

There is the other view that jail breeds a hatred of authority and that when a person leaves they are angrier than when they went in. Especially if all they have is bread and water. I'm not sure whether rehabilitation or punishment is better because the system is fundamentally broken. In most cases at least violent offenders aren't on the street though.

There is the other view that jail breeds a hatred of authority and that when a person leaves they are angrier than when they went in. Especially if all they have is bread and water. I'm not sure whether rehabilitation or punishment is better because the system is fundamentally broken. In most cases at least violent offenders aren't on the street though.smokintheweed

Strange story. If this rather unpleasant looking young person was approaching me with a hot iron my reaction would be to lash out very hard and make her look even less pre-possessing. In fact the law allows me to hit her very hard with any object available.

Strange story. If this rather unpleasant looking young person was approaching me with a hot iron my reaction would be to lash out very hard and make her look even less pre-possessing. In fact the law allows me to hit her very hard with any object available.Dai Rear